Editorial

Colin Powell's Speech to the Security Council - Old Disinformation and New Lies

In his January 28 State of the Union address, U.S. President George W. Bush promised that on February 5 Secretary of State Colin Powell would deliver conclusive new evidence to the U.N. Security Council proving that Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction and that it is working closely with the Al-Qaida terrorist network. However, Colin Powell's 80-minute speech to the Security Council proved to be far from convincing. In fact, it amounted to little more than a repetition of a litany of old assertions which have long since been refuted and a few new claims which most observers have already dismissed as blatant falsehoods. However, having made its "case", flimsy as it is, the Bush administration has stepped up its sabre rattling, virtually promising an attack on Iraq by the beginning of March, with or without UN Security Council approval.

In his speech to the Security Council, Colin Powell showed satellite photographs of numerous Iraqi facilities, claiming that they showed the removal of weapons of mass destruction from those sites just hours before the arrival of UN weapons inspectors, the burial of weapons of mass destruction, and mobile chemical and biological weapons factories. Quite apart from the fact that the world is being asked to trust the Americans that these photos are legitimate, which given the American history of falsifying such evidence is a pretty tall order, the head of the UN weapons inspectors, Hans Blix, has already dismissed the validity of Powell's claims. Blix stated that he had been shown this evidence some time ago and that his team had inspected all of the suspect sites, finding no evidence whatsoever to verify Powell's claims. Vehicles identified by the Americans as mobile weapons factories have also been intercepted by the UN weapons inspectors, who found no evidence of chemical or biological weapons. Factories identified by Powell as actively producing banned missiles and mobile factory trucks have been inspected by Blix and his team dozens of time during the past three months. Blix also dismissed claims by Powell that the Iraqis were spying on the weapons inspectors, pointing out that the Iraqis do not possess the means to circumvent the UN security measures.

Apart from the suspect satellite photos, Powell's "evidence" consisted mainly of statements by three Iraqi dissidents and a recent British intelligence report, supposedly based on up to the minute data. However, by the next day that report was exposed as having been almost entirely plagiarized (complete with spelling errors) from the thesis of an American graduate student and not on any actual data gathered by British intelligence agencies. A British intelligence report leaked to the media earlier actually refuted claims by the Bush administration, as well as by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, that Saddam Hussein represents a threat to anyone outside of Iraq.

Powell's dramatic translations of what he claimed were intercepted telephone transmissions between Iraqi military officers were equally suspect. Even if genuine, they demonstrated little more than a concern by some low-ranking officers that UN weapons inspectors may find banned materials among piles of scrap. Given the fact that Bush had promised to launch an immediate war against Iraq if a single undeclared weapon were to be discovered, such apprehensions are perfectly understandable. However, at best such "evidence" demonstrates some low-level non-cooperation and not the massive high-level cover-up claimed by Powell.

The flimsiness of Powell's "case for war" was underlined by the fact that he was forced to play the "Al-Qaida card" in an attempt to link Iraq with the "war on terror". It is openly acknowledged, even by most American observers, that there is absolutely no evidence to substantiate this claim by Powell. In fact, both the American CIA and British intelligence have stated quite categorically that no such link exists and that, in fact, there is animosity between the Iraqi regime and Al-Qaida.. Powell's only "evidence" consists of claims that an Al-Qaida lieutenant fled to northern Iraq from Afghanistan and is working with some anti-American forces in a region outside the control of the Iraqi government. A CIA spokesperson stated that his agency has been keeping a close eye on this individual and is confident that he has no connection whatsoever with the Iraqi government.

Despite Powell's theatrics on February 5, the world was spectacularly unimpressed with his "case for war". France, Russia and China maintained their opposition to war, stating that the inspectors should be given more time, prompting Bush to issue a veiled threat of dire consequences if they dare to use their veto to block any American-sponsored resolution authorizing force against Iraq. Since his speech, Powell has continued his tour of European capitals, amid complaints that the U.S. is resorting to the most brutal arm-twisting and blackmail to force the European members of the Security Council into line. However, if despite their bullying tactics the Americans fail to get the necessary votes in the Security Council or if one of the permanent members uses its veto, both Powell and Bush have already stated that the United States will go to war without UN authorization. They have also threatened that failure of the United Nations to submit to American blackmail will result in it being rendered irrelevant.

It now appears a certainty that the United States is intent on destroying Iraq despite almost universal opposition. It remains to be seen whether or not France, Russia and China will stick to their positions and force the Americans to go to war without UN authorization. If they do refuse to capitulate, the United States will become even more isolated and despised internationally and its empire will be in serious danger. On the other hand, if they do capitulate, the world will enter a new phase of Pax Americana, a period of war without end in which the United States will invade one country after another to impose its imperial dictate.